Palser DeBusk was the son of Elijah DeBusk and Catherine Rouse. He was born 11 Jan 1805 in Washington County, Virginia and died 21 Jun 1878 in Lee County, Virginia. On 05 Jul 1821 in Washington County, Virginia he married Mary Sarah "Sally" Surber.

Samuel J. DeBusk, who lived in Holton, Kansas, was a grandson of Palser. He stated that Palser lived in Washington County until after 1850 and then moved to Lee County. Samuel J. DeBusk was also the source of the birth dates and date of death for Palser and Sally. Samuel J. DeBusk was past eighty when he gave the information on Palser DeBusk.

Coles notes show the date of marriage as 5 May 1821. LDS and H.F. DeBusk both show 5 July 1825. The marriage records from Washington County, Virginia has 5 July 1825 as the date of marriage.

Elijah and Catherine transferred the owner ship of their property to their son, Paulser, in 1837. Elijah and Catherine lived on Rush Creek, a tributary of the Holston River, near Lodi, Washington County, Virginia; There are indications that his father was named Jacob DeBusk, but no strong data has been found to prove this. A story was that Jacob died enroute to Washington County, Virginia. There is some indication that Jacob DeBusk came from Shenandoah County, Virginia. Good backup information exists that prove that Palser, Isaac, Elijah, Jr. are brothers. Dr John DeBusk is believed to be their son. This is based on research and interviews by Judge Redmond Cole in 1938. The girls are tied to their parents from information gained from interviews with some of the older people in the Washington County, Virginia area in 1938.

All of his children are listed in family bible. See the complete copy of the bible under the section on Old Bibles. Samuel Jasper DeBusk, son of John Wesley DeBusk and Emeline Widener and grandson of Palser DeBusk and Sarah Surber, comfirmed these dates to Judge Redmond Cole in 1930. Palser farmed half of 108 acres of land on Rush Creek Near Lodi, Washington County, Virginia that his fathers gave for their keep in old age. His father split the land with him and his brother Isaac. The property line ran through the center of the mill that Elijah built on Rush Creek. . In Deed Book 7, pages 479-480 an indenture is recorded on 2 September 1822 between Paulser De Busk and Sarah, his wife, and the Baptist Church. For the sum of ten dollars Paulser & Sarah sold about 2 acres on Rush Creek to the church for the purpose of building a place of worship. This church is still standing. Palser moved with a large party to Lee County, Virginia in the spring of 1860. It is not clear exactly who were involved or how this initial migration happened. The 1860 Lee County, Virginia lists Palser and his wife and children Catherine, Elijah, Joseph E., Christopher, Sarah J, and two of his married sons, Elias and family and John Wesley and his wife Emaline. John E. DeBusk, his cousin, and his family of 9 people and Elizabeth DeBusk McDaniels and her family. His birth date is listed on the marriage record. He was listed as the 45 year old husband of Sarah in the 1850 Washington County, Virginia census. He was listed as the 55 year old husband of Sarah in the 1860 Lee County, Virginia census. He was listed as being 65 years old in the 1870 Lee County, Virginia census and the husband of Sarah and the father of Sarah J. DeBusk.

Mary Sarah "Sally" Surber's birth date came from Palser's family bible. Her father was probably from Germantown, Pennsylvania. Indications are strong that she was the granddaughter of Henry Surber of Switzerland who was born 17 May 1734 and died in Frederich County, Virginia. There are some that think that her family was from Wales, UK. Her birth date is listed on the marriage record. She is listed in 1850 Washington County, Virginia census as the 46 year old wife of Palser. The 1860 Lee County, Virginia census lists her as the 56 year old wife of Palser and the 1870 Lee County, Virginia census lists her as 66 years old.

Not much can be proven about the ancestry of Sarah Surber DeBusk. I know where she most likely fits on the family tree, but the paper trail is not there to prove it. There were two brothers who came to Sinclair's Bottoms, Washington Co., VA in the early 1770s, John and Adam. Through wills of later generations and land records settling the estate of Adam Surber, Sr., the descendants of Adam are well documented. However, there have been virtually no records found to document the descendants of John Surber. We know that he married Sarah Thomas in Shenandoah Co., VA on Feb 20, 1773. We know that they came to what was then Washington Co., VA shortly after they married. There are also many Thomas families that migrated to the area about the same time. That is really all that we know. However, since Adam's descendants are well documented, we can assume that the Surbers in this area who are not his descendants are most likely descendants of John and Sarah Surber. In the 1810 Census for Washington Co., VA, there is a John Surber. He appears to be younger than the John Surber who married Sarah Thomas, so is presumed to be his son. There are a number of young members of this family. Sarah who married Paulser DeBusk is the right age to be one of them, so she is thought to be a child of John Surber, Jr. and his unknown wife. However, again, I caution, this is not proven, only presumed from the data known. This John Surber apparently died after 1810 as there is no further record of him. However, there are a number of Surbers in the area who are not descendants of Adam. They are presumed to be the youngsters found in the 1810 census, plus others that are somehow a part of this family, although the exact relationship has not been proven at his point.  It  must be understood that none of this is proven. 

Shortly after the death of Palser some of his family moved to Texas and Kansas.

Descendants of Palser DeBusk

1 -- Mary Elizabeth DeBusk born 09 May 1822 in Washington County, Virginia and died 11 April 1892. Buried in Lipps Cemetery, Wise County, Virginia. On 6 February 1840 she married John Eakin DeBusk, the son of John "Dr John" DeBusk and Sarah Eakin. John Eakin DeBusk was born 08 August 1821 in Washington County, Virginia and died 25 January 1891. They are both buried in Lipps Cemetery, Wise County, Virginia.

2 -- Elias DeBusk born 05 July 1824 in Washington County, Virginia and died 29 Jun 1895 in Cross Plains, Callahan County, Texas. He married Martha Edmondson, the daughter of Andrew "River Andy" Edmondson and Susan DeBusk, on 18 May 1844 in Washington County, Virginia. She was born 16 March 1824 in Washington County, Virginia and died 05 December 1910 in Brown County, Texas. They are both buried in Smith Cemetery, Brown County, Texas.

3 -- Rebecca Jane DeBusk born 22 April 1826 in Washington County, Virginia and died 14 February 1910 in Brownwood, Brown County, Texas. She married on 28 December 1848 in Washington County, Virginia to Solomon C. Van Huss, the son of Michael Van Huss and Elizabeth Venable Rosenbaum. He was born 02 May 1827 in Washington County, Virginia and died 02 June 1910 in Brownwood, Brown County, Texas. He is buried in Staley Cemetery, Brown County, Texas.

4 --- Rachel DeBusk born 03 January 1829 in Washington County, Virginia. and died 30 October 1882 in Washington County, Texas.
She married Robert Larimer, the son of John Larimer and Jane Larimer on 18 July 1847 in Knox County, Tennessee . He was born circa 1790 in Virginia and died 08 June 1875 in Friendship, Washington County, Virginia. They are both buried in Rock Spring Cemetery, Washington County, Virginia.

5 -- Catherine DeBusk born 22 October 1830 in Washington County, Virginia and died 05 Aug 1862 in Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia.

6 -- John Wesley DeBusk born 09 March 1833 in Washington County, Virginia and died 10 May 1925 in Lee County, Virginia. He is buried in DeBusk-Hounshell Property, Lee County, Viriginia. On 27 December 1859 in Washington County, Virginia he married Emeline Widener, the daughter of Reuben Widener and Lucinda Allison. She was born 04 June 1837 in Washington County, Virginia and died 05 May 1866 in Lee County, Virginia. On 20 February 1868 in Lee County, Virginia he married Eunice Rouse the daughter of Philip Rouse and Elizabeth Isabella Widener. She was born 24 February 1834 in Washington County, Virginia and died 07 Jan 1922 in Lee County, Virginia. She is buried in DeBusk Cemetery, Lee County, Virginia.

7 -- Isaac DeBusk born 06 Mar 1835 in Washington County, Virginia and died 18 January 1869 in Lee County, Virginia. On 25 January 1855 in Washington County, Virginia he married Frances "Fanny" Rosenbaum, the daughter of John Jacob Rosenbalm and Rachel Fox. She was born 18 December 1837 in Washington County, Virginia and died 17 May 1910 in Lee County, Virginia.

8 -- James E. DeBusk born 02 March 1837 in Washington County, Virginia died 13 April 1864 in Fort Deleware Prison, during the Civil War. He is buried in Finns Point National Cemetery, Finns Point, New Jersey. On 06 August 1857 in Washington County, Virginia he married Violet Ann Larimer, the daughter of John Larimer and Sarah "Salley" Mock. She was born 10 August 1842 in Washington County, Virginia and died 03 November 1907 in Eastland County, Texas. She is buried in Desdemona, Eastland County, Texas.

9 -- Elijah DeBusk born 20 March 1839 in Washington County, Virginia and died 05 November 1863 in Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia.

10 -- David C. DeBusk born 04 April 1841 in Washington County, Virginia and died 06 April 1866 in Washington County, Virginia

11 -- Joseph E. DeBusk born 22 January 1843 in Washington County, Virginia and died 11 November 1924 in Lee County, Virginia. On 13 November 1879 in Lee County, Virginia he married Matilda Martin, the daughter of Thomas Martin and Mary Ann Sumpter. She was born 10 February 1846 in Lee County, Virginia and died 22 March 1929 in Lee County, Virginia. They are both buried in DeBusk Family Cemetery, Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia.

12 -- Christopher DeBusk born 19 February 1845 in Washington County, Virginia and died 17 September 1907 in Nolan County, Texas. He is buried in Sweetwater Cemetery, Nolan County, Texas. He married in Collin County, Texas to Anna Lavinia McDonough. She was born 15 March 1847 in Harrison County, Texas and died 09 May 1925 in Hidalgo County, Texas. She is buried in Logan's Valley Cemetery, Comanche County, Texas.

13 -- Sarah Jane DeBusk born 18 February 1847 in Washington County, Virginia and died 16 July 1902 in Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia. On 29 May 1872 in Lee County, Virginia she married Draper J. Hounshell, MD, the son of Joseph Hounshell and Sarah Lambert. He was born 28 September 1829 in Wythe County, Virginia and died 09 November 1899 in Lee County, Virginia. They are both buried in Hounshell (Draper) Cemetry, Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia